Temporary Waukesha Christmas Parade Memorial To Close Wednesday

WAUKESHA, WI—Waukesha will continue the message of unity with a public closing ceremony of the temporary parade memorial at 8 a.m. Wednesday at Veteran's Park in Waukesha.

The park in downtown Waukesha has become the site of a temporary memorial to the lives lost at the Nov. 21 Christmas parade. A man drove into marchers and spectators at the parade, resulting in the deaths of six people and more than 60 injured.

Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly thanked the entire community that showed its support for the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy through the creation of a temporary memorial.

"The memorial has provided a place for the community to grieve and to come together to support those who lost loved ones and those who will be dealing with the physical and emotional trauma from the events of November 21 for many years to come," a news release said.

Reilly announced the creation of a Waukesha Christmas Parade Permanent Memorial Commission, which is scheduled to be considered by the Waukesha Common Council on Jan. 18.

The Commission will work with the city and community leaders to determine the best location and monument to permanently honor those lost and injured. The Commission will consist of members of the community from a variety of stakeholder groups.

Following the closure ceremony on Wednesday, the city staff and members of the Waukesha County Historical Society will decommission the temporary memorial.

"We are mindful of the impacts that these events have had on our community and we will be handling the items with the utmost care and respect. All items that are able to, will be curated at the Waukesha County Historical Society and preserved for future," the release said.